3 minute read
Racing and Sports will provide analysis of many games in the 2021 AFL Season.
We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.
GEELONG V ESSENDON
Friday 2 July @ GMHBA Stadium
With things all akimbo, clubs moving everywhere and hopping on flights at a whim, it must be nice for the Victorian Clubs to be the ones more settled.
Well two of them face off down at the Cattery on Friday and this hasn't happened for a long while. Essendon would not know what Kardinia Park looked like.
But for them it could be if not the season, then very close to it while Geelong need a bounce back from a flat one up north.
The Eight is far from settled no matter what is being spruiked with Sydney, West Coast and Richmond all losing and opening doors. Only Fremantle and to a lesser extent St Kilda opened it.
Coming off the emotional high of the post siren win here against the Dogs, the Cats were never in the hunt in Brisbane. In fact had the Lions kicked truly, it might have been closer to 80 than 40. It was a destruction from the offing.
Besides Guthrie who had a good go and few others who tried but were effectively held like Dangerfield and Smith, the rest never got hot. The so called 'Big 3' up front were a mess. Hawkins, Cameron and Rohan had two goals between them.
Geelong was slow again too. Whatever the reasoning for it, their style which played its part in that cracker against the Dogs, was away with the pixies.
Given they are such an experienced team with so many over 30s, they will have periods of the season when it will become a grind. But their methodology must be "Get us into September and watch that experience be of more benefit."
The issue this week is that they face a team up and running, usually prepared to play in a high-octane fashion and run the opponents ragged.
Essendon couldn't get the final desired outcome against Melbourne last Saturday but it was a tough match and fluctuating until the Dees got control into the second half. Even then they never got away.
No surprise to see Parish with plenty of it but Merrett seemed a happy chappy, running around and bringing his own sherrin to the ground.
Of more note was the ease at which Jordan Ridley and Laverde along with Heppell sweeping up, held the backline together. They have leaked goals when some support was best required.
If they get the backline in total capacity, they have tools to win games. Especially with the influx of Perkins, Draper, Cox and Jones. They will tire but the future is brighter.
This is such a dangerous match for Geelong. Pace on the ball could cause them all sorts of issues. If any rain arrives, it may slow things down but Essendon pose a speed test which could hurt the older team.
No doubt the Bombers must bring their best. They are the inferior team in total. However given they are a direct, running, link up team rather than using the wings, GMHBA could well be of no significance to them compared to how it impacts others.
Would love to tip Essendon but suspect Geelong might just fall over the line in a tight one. The start looks very appealing.
Match Selection: Geelong by 7 points
Suggested Bets: Essendon +27.5 points @ $1.90